Rose-breasted grosbeaks beautiful, bashful

By BILL DANIELSON
May 26, 2013

Attracted by my bird feeder, this male rose-breasted grosbeak came so close that I could capture some incredible details. Look closely into its eye and you will see the triangular outline of the roof of my house.

Recently, my frantically excited wife announced that she had spotted a bird that left her momentarily speechless. It was a male rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) and I couldn’t blame her. The elegant black-and-white dress of the male, flamboyantly accented with a triangular necklace of red, makes it a beautiful sight indeed. It is currently thought that most of “our” bird species are actually tropical birds that head north long enough to breed and then return ...

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